


today and every day

by Meridas



Series: kiss me once, then kiss me twice [6]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Established Relationship, February Kiss Prompts, Festivals, Fluff, Marriage Proposal, Mighty Nein as Family, Other, did anyone really think I’d get through this without a single flower crown
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 12:56:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17787812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meridas/pseuds/Meridas
Summary: A festival, a flower crown, a question. (And kisses.)prompt fills for day 22: kissing while laughing and day 26: public kiss





	today and every day

**Author's Note:**

> This one follows 'make this place your home' although you don't have to read that first!

The day of the Spring Festival dawns crisp and sunny, perfect for all of Molly's plans. He’s out of bed earlier than normal, greeting Caleb in the kitchen to exchange a kiss for his first cup of coffee before he tackles his makeup. Caleb passes by him after a while to refill his coffee and drop a fond kiss to his shoulder, and Molly manages to swipe a tiny bit of gold eyeshadow across his cheek as he ducks away, laughing.

They leave their apartment to weak but welcome sunlight, with Frumpkin scarfed around Caleb’s shoulders. Nott is waiting for them, her gods-awful minivan idling by the curb. Molly heaves a deep sigh and braces himself before clambering inside.

Predictably, Beau makes fun of him as soon as they arrive—it’s never the most fashionable thing, arriving out of Nott’s van, but it beats driving himself. He flips Beau off and slings his arm around Caleb’s waist as they make their way to join their friends and the festivities.

As is tradition, all of them gather around to heckle Fjord as he trudges up to his yearly attempt at the Trebuchet game. Molly loses three silver pieces to Jester but wins a button from Nott when Fjord misses all three throws spectacularly but doesn’t actually destroy any game property this year.

Molly is still clapping for Fjord’s abject failure when Caleb wanders back to their group with a new book under his arm and a pleased smile on his face. Molly grins at him. “Find the book barrel this year?”

Caleb narrows his eyes, but the playful smile lurking at the corners of his lips belies any real annoyance. “If you all are going to continue making fun of me about the supposed book barrel, I won’t be telling you where the flower stalls are this year, and you will miss out on all the best ones.”

Molly straightens up immediately, feeling his tail whack against Caleb’s legs. They’re both very used to it, and Caleb doesn’t even flinch, just catches it and holds on gently to the excitable appendage. Molly’s given up trying to control the thing, by now. “Caleb,” he says earnestly, “my dearest, my darling wizard, you know that it’s a race and I _have_ to beat Jester this year. Please help me? Pretty please?”

Caleb gives up the mock-glare and gives him one of those lovely crooked smiles. “What if I’ve already promised to help Jester this year, hm?”

Molly drapes himself oh-so-casually against Caleb’s arm. “I have _faith_ , Caleb,” he says, making his eyes big and sincere. “Faith that you love me and want me to be happy, and that you’re smart enough to pick the winning team in the flower crown battles.”

Caleb laughs, quiet but carefree, and Molly isn't even vying for more favoritism when he leans up and kisses him. He's just—he's happy, and he loves Caleb, and he loves seeing him happy. For a brief moment he wishes he'd thought about putting the little velvet box in his pocket instead of leaving it safe in his sewing box—but it's just as well. Instead, he savors the feeling of Caleb's lips on his, and the chatter of their friends and the local festivities, and the warmth of the sun on his shoulders.  
  
Caleb draws back, leaving one more kiss on Molly's cheek. He points back down the aisle of stalls he'd returned from, splashes of color and festive wares all blurring together. "At the end of this row, here. Please don't get distracted by the tapestries this year, I have already checked and there are none that would do our apartment any favors."  
  
Molly wiggles his eyebrows threateningly, then laughs at the face of desperate resignation Caleb makes. "Flowers first," he promises. "We'll see if I feel the need to add to my collection later."  
  
"Flowers?" Jester's head pops over his shoulder, narrowly avoiding tangling up their jewelry. "Where are the flowers this year? I'll race you!"  
  
"Oh, Caleb says they're—" Molly takes off.  
  
"You cheater!" he hears Jester cry out behind him, and he cackles as he weaves through the crowd with ease. He skids to a halt right in front of the flower stall, just moments before Jester barrels into him and almost knocks him off his feet. Both of them stagger right into a familiar figure as she leaps in front of her flower displays.  
  
"Hello Cali!" Jester trills. "How are you doing, you look extra super cute today, did you save me the best flowers so I can buy them before Molly does?"  
  
"Rude!" Molly straightens them up. "Hello, Cali, dear, sorry about that."  
  
"No, don't be sorry, I'm happy to see you!" Cali grins at them. She's swept her hair back from her face without fear today, and her bright green eyes are lined in black and sparkling gold eyeliner. Molly beams at her.  
  
"You do look very cute today," he says. He wiggles in Jester's grip, trying to pry her arms free so that he can pick up a crown of vibrant moss roses.  
  
As Jester and Cali catch up in their usual enthusiastic way, Molly spots Caleb wandering up to join them. He shoots Caleb a wink and a smile as he slips a gold piece into Cali's hand for the flowers while she's distracted with Jester, then takes his time adjusting his new crown so that it sits nicely without tangling in any of his jewelry.

“Mollymauk.”

He spins around, and the flower crown slips out of place, dropping down in his eyes. He pushes it carefully back up between his horns, and when the petals are safely out of his eyes he can see the look on Caleb’s face. He looks so soft, open and happy with that tiny but true smile that Molly adores. “What is it, love?”

Caleb grasps his hand and draws him closer. “I left—” he laughs, short and sounding somehow choked up. Molly tilts his head to catch Caleb’s eyes, a little concerned. Caleb lifts Molly’s hands up and kisses his knuckles, and his eyes are definitely shiny, but his bright smile warms Molly to the core.

“I love you very much,” Caleb says, “and my life has been so much better with you in it. And I would like it, more than I can say, if you might indulge me.”

“Caleb—” Molly’s breath catches, his heart suddenly pounding in his chest as Caleb sinks to the ground, holding Molly’s hands in his. He looks up at Molly, his eyes shining, from where he’s on one knee.

“I can’t believe I did not think to bring the ring,” he says, half-laughing, and squeezes Molly’s hands. “You will have to forgive me for asking without one, but I—I don’t want to wait. Mollymauk Tealeaf, will you marry me?”

Molly’s knees go weak, and he barely gives Caleb a chance to catch him as he collapses into him, his arms tight around Caleb’s neck and utter, unbelievable joy bursting in his chest. “ _Yes,_ ” he gasps, laughs with it, might even be crying but fuck it, he’s too happy to contain everything he feels. “Caleb, _yes_ —” and he takes Caleb’s face in his hands and kisses him once, twice, over and over until they’re both laughing and clutching at each other like fools.  

A loud shutter-sound draws their attention back to their surroundings. Jester and Cali are still standing over them, and Yasha and Fjord have caught up as well. Jester's phone is pointed at them, capturing the scene they must be causing in the middle of the festival. "You two are too cute," she grins.  
  
Fjord coughs politely. "Yeah, you're cute and all, but what's the holdup? Beau and Nott're saving us a spot in line—Mols, are you crying?"  
  
Molly wipes his face carelessly as he picks himself and Caleb up off the ground. His cheeks hurt from smiling and his heart won't stop fluttering. "Jester, dear," he says, and a laugh bubbles up in his voice and he can't do a thing to stop it. "Could you send me that? I'd like to keep a picture of when Caleb and I got engaged."  
  
It takes a second to process. Then everyone in a thirty-foot radius around them flinches as Jester lets out an ear-shattering shriek.  
  
"You're getting married I can't believe it I knew it oh my gosh it's going to be so beautiful I'm so happy for you!" Jester throws herself at the two of them, almost knocking Caleb back to the ground in her enthusiasm. "Oh my gods this is the best news of the century I am so excited this is going to be the best thing in the whole world and you are going to be so happy!" Molly pats her on the back and grins at Yasha over the top of Jester's excited head.  
  
Yasha—his Yasha, his oldest and best friend in the world—smiles gently at him. He searches her face, one little shred of anxiety in his gut for potentially dredging up painful memories for her. But her eyes are sparkling at him, and her smile is small but genuine, and she scoots Jester gently over to Caleb so she can hug Molly so hard that she lifts him off his feet.  
  
"I'm so happy for you," she whispers to him, and he squeezes her back and buries his face in her shoulder. Whatever high-pitched, nonsensical sound he makes out of sheer joy, that's between him and her sweatshirt.

"Congratulations," Fjord says warmly. He grins at them, already taking his phone out and beginning to text. "This seems like it calls for a celebration, right? I'll get Beau and Nott back here."  
  
As they begin discussing where to go next, Molly slides back to Caleb's side. "I love you," he says, simple and honest and happier than he can ever remember. Caleb pulls him into his arms, and Molly closes his eyes and holds him close. They stand there, together and surrounded by their friends, and let the early sunshine wash over them, and Molly doesn't even try to stop smiling.

**Author's Note:**

> title of the fic comes from 'Marry Me' by Train! I love writing these prompts and I'd love to know what y'all think <3


End file.
